Tito has some tough decisions

Monday

Sep 24, 2007 at 6:00 AM

By Bill Ballou TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF

It is simpler mathematically than in reality.

Even with yesterday’s loss here, coupled with the Yankees’ win over Toronto, the Red Sox still control their fate in race for the AL East title. If Boston wins every game on the upcoming six-game homestand that closes the regular season, it will take the title.

The Sox head into today’s off-day with a 1-1/2 game lead over New York, which plays the Blue Jays again today. So, by the time Boston is back in action tomorrow, its lead will be either one or two games. After the Yanks are through with the Jays, they play three down here vs. the Devil Rays.

Manager Terry Francona will have to piece something together for a lineup on the homestand, with Manny Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis still out and several players sub-par. Both Ramirez and Youkilis plan on taking batting practice at Fenway Park today, but neither is likely to be in the lineup tomorrow.

Francona is faced with a choice of playing with an essentially JV lineup and getting ready for the postseason, or putting everything on the line to win the division.

“It’s a day-to-day thing,” he said. “Right now, if we sit somebody, our lineup isn’t going to look like we want it to. I’m not sure anybody really wants a day off. You play all year to get to games like this.”

“Everybody in this clubhouse wants to win the division,” Tim Wakefield said. “I’m sure (Francona) has a fine line to walk between winning the division and keeping guys healthy.”

Slumping Dustin Pedroia got the day off with Alex Cora filling in at second base. Pedroia is 5 for 33 (.152) in the last eight games and his average has dropped from .327 to .315. Devil Rays outfielder Delmon Young picked up some major ground on Pedroia this weekend in the Rookie of the Year race. Young was 6 for 12 in the series, and his average is up to .294.

“You put this whole picture together,” Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said of Young, “and I (think) it equals Rookie of the Year. I think he’s the award winner. He’s going to play 162 games this year. ... I think if you’re going to go after the guy with the better numbers, that’s Delmon.”

Doug Mirabelli was behind the plate and caught his first complete game since Aug. 13. He had calf and hamstring injuries in the interim. Hideki Okajima is scheduled for a side throwing session tomorrow and should be able to pitch in a game by Thursday.

The Red Sox have today off before opening their final homestand of the regular season tomorrow night. Boston plays two against the Athletics, then four with the Twins. Curt Schilling (8-8) will be opposed by Chad Gaudin (11-12) tomorrow night. Jon Lester, who is 4-0, will face Joe Blanton (14-10) on Wednesday, which is a 5:05 p.m. start.

Carlos Peña finished with six home runs off Sox pitching this season, tied with Derek Jeter for the most by an opponent, but a long way from the record off 11 held by three different Yankees Hall of Famers — Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.

“You talk about a breakout year,” Francona said of Peña, who has 42 home runs and 116 RBIs. “I just wish it wouldn’t be against us. Sometimes it takes a while to put it together. He’s got (42) homers, so he’s doing it against somebody else, too.”

David Ortiz did not try to steal any bases yesterday after being caught trying to swipe third on Saturday night. The DH ran on his own, of course, and Francona pondered that move — which turned out to be harmless — before yesterday’s game.

“He thought he was invisible,” the manager said, adding, “We don’t need Maury Wills, we need David Ortiz. I hope somebody was (scouting) us. If they were, we threw a wrench into ’em.”

J.D. Drew’s strikeout to end the fourth was the 1,000th by a Boston batter this season. ... Jacoby Ellsbury was 1 for 3 and has hit in six straight games, and 19 of 20 since his recall on Sept. 1. Ellsbury’s stolen base in the third was the 90th of the year for the Red Sox. It is their first time with that many since 1996, when they had 91 steals. They had 99 in 1995. ... Coco Crisp’s single with the bases loaded in the sixth improved him to 9 for 20 (.450) in that situation this year. ... Cora’s home run was his first since April 29 at Yankee Stadium. ... With his scoreless outing, Bryan Corey has not allowed a run in 7-1/3 innings covering seven appearances.